Harvester



Man 27', 1923.`

J. vNovAK HARVESTER 2 sheets-sheet l Filed Oct. 20, 1921 r m, 1 W Y Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

JAMES NOVAK, OF MADISON, OHIO.

HARVESTER.

Application filed October 20, 1921. Serial No. 509,029.

To aZZ'wwm 'it 'may concern."

Be it known that I, JAMEs NovAK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Madison, in the county of Lake` and State of Ohio, have invented certain newy and useful Improvements in Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in harvesters and `has particular reference toa harvesting machine adapted for threshing grain while traveling through a field of growing grain.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a harvesting machine designed to sever the tops of grain stalks while traveling through a field of grain' with devices for separating the grain from the pods, discharging the refuse from the machine and conveying the grain to sifting screens for delivery into receptacles at the rear end of the machine.

The device further embodies the idea of driving the grain cutting and threshing device, the grain conveyor and a fan fromv the ground wheels.

With the above general objects in view and others that will vappear as the nature of the invention is better understood the vsame consists of the novel form, combina-tion and arrangement ofparts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a harvesting machine constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the grain topping device, the conveyor, the fan blower and the sifting screens,

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partially shown in section,

Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary side elevational and sectional views respectively of the controlling clutch for the grain topping device,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section showing the vertically adjustable block for supporting the shaft of the grain topping device, and

Figure 6 is a .detailed fragmentary end elevational viewof a modified form of tray cooperating with the toppingdevice.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

there is illustrated a harvesting machine eml.

bodying a body portion formed of a bottom wall 1, a top wall 2 and side walls 3 and 4, an opening 5 at the forward end of the machine accommodating the grain topping device and an opening 6 in the rear end of the machine providing an escape for the chaff and refuse, the body being supported on an axle 7 carrying ground wheels 8 and 9 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 while a draft frame 10 connected to the body and axle may be connected to any suitable source of draft power.

Al grain topping device is arranged adj acent the forward open end 5 of the harvester body and embodies an axial mounting 11 journaled through a block 12 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 with the block vertically slidable in guides 13 and operable by a perpen-. 1",

dicula-r rod ltjthreaded at its upper end as at 15 rand extending through the upper wall 2 of the body with a wrench 16 threaded on the upper end for vertically shifting the block. The grain topper embodies a cen-.

tra-l hub portion 17 having radial'curved arms 18 extending in the same direction with a plurality of prongs 19 projecting outwardly from the outer face of the curved arms 18 as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the' free l edge of each arm being provided with a roller 20 while the rear prongs 19 `are tensioned as at 21 for purposes presently to appear.

A .pan or tray22 cooperating with the An endless conveyor in the form of a sprocket chain 25 carrying spaced fiights 26 passes over sprocket wheels 27 and 28 carried respectively by the shafts 29 and 30 journaled in the side walls 3 and 4 of the harvester body. A bottom wall 1 ofthe body is provided with a depressed hopper portion 31 in which the endless conveyor and ights travel, the forward edge of the hopper 31 being positioned'slightly forwardly of and beneath the rear edge of the tray 22.

A fan is provided for blowing the chaff and refuse from the machine, the same including an axial mounting 32 andfan plates 33, the fan being positioned beneath the endy,

less conveyor and in proximity of the rear open end 6 of the body.

VSifting screens 34 are mounted in the frame 35 beneath the rear upper end ofthe conveyor while an inclined screen 36 positioned beneath the Screens 34 directs the grain into the box 37, a dust box .38. being positioned beneath the inclined screen 36 as shown yin F ig. l. p Y v yThe operating device for the parts above described embodies the provision of a ,gearl 39`iixed to the axle 7 and in mesh wlth the gear`40 secured to the shaft 32 of the fan wheel. The endless conveyor chain 25 1s driven through the medium of the gear 41 fixedto the axle 7 adjacent the ground wheel 9v and in mesh with the gear 42 secured to thestub shaft 43 journaled in the side wall 3 of the body, the shaft 43 carryingv a sprocket chain44 traversed by a chain 45 that passes over the sprocket wheel 46y and is secured to the shaft 29 of the conveyor.

y Thegrain topping device has the shaft 11V provided withl a loose gear 47 traversedvby achain 48 thatzpasses over the gear 49 fixed to theaxle 7.` To lock the loose gear 47 to l l the .shaftvll for operating thetoppng device, the clutch 50 splinedto the shaft 11 hasfa clutch face cooperating with a-clutch face upon the loose gear 47, the clutch 50 being` shifted bythe yoke 51 fixed at its end to the screw shaft 52 that projects upwardly through the-.top wall 2 of the body and is threaded. through the bearing-.53 with an operating handle 54 upon the extreme upper end-.,. y

lnthe operation of the-device, the machine.y is moved forwardly by v suitable draft devices 'and power for the movingl parts is derivedfrom the ground wheels 8 yand 9. Asthe machine travels through afield of y standing grain,the arms 18 carrying the f the screens 34, the grains falling through the screens' 34 and 4onto the inclinedscreen 36 ,forfdelivery .into the box 37.-` Thefan 33 willblowthe chaff through the` rear open end 6 of they body while any chaff' passing through the screens 34 with the grainwill be received inthe receptacle-38. v The operation ofthetop or threshing farms 18 is :controlled .f by thefclutch 503 while thepositions of (the ,anmslS'withrespectto the `tray 32 is regu- ,l-at'edjbythe screwlshaft 14; The tensioned prongs :19' are nightly longer una the rigid prongs 19 to cause the same totravel in close proximity to the tray 22, thereby i nsuring the severance of the grain stalk while lthe -r'esilient-frnounting of the grain stalks will permit the same escaping the flights 26 of the conveyor. y

A modified form of the invention is shown in Fig. 6, the'same diering from the construction in the preferred form only by the provision of prongs 55 carried by the tray 22 cooperating with the prongs 19 of the arms 13.k v

F rom the above detail description ofthe invention it is believed that the construction and operationfwill be readily understood and appreciated b'y those skilled in the art, and while there are herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention itis-nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may.vv be made therein without departing vfrom invention. y

That is claimed as new is 1. A threshing machinev ofthet type described comp'rising a body, an endless conveyor in the body, a sifting screen positioned beneath the rear end of the conveyor, afan disposed beneath the conveyor and'sifting; screen, means for severing grain pods from standing stalks' and delivering thev same yt. the conveyor, saidmeans including circularly moving arms, radalprongs carried. the outer faces of the arms, and atray over the spirit and scope ofthe whichv the arms pass in separating the grain from the pods and delivering separated grain and pods to the conveyor. -"2. A'threshing machine of ,the type described comprising a body, an'endless con- Y.

veyor in the body, afsifting screen ypositionedbeneath the rear endof the conveyor, a fan disposed beneath the conveyor and siftingscreen, means for severing grain pods from standing vstalks and deliveringfthe same to the conveyor, said means including circularly moving arms radial'prongs carried bythe outer faces of thenarms, a tray over which the arms pass in separating the grain from the pods andv delivering separatedgr'ain and pods :tothe conveyor,and rollers carried by the free ends of thev arms.

3. A threshing machine of the. typedescribedcomprising@ body, an `endless Conveyor'in the body, afsifting screen positioned beneath the rear end 'ofthe'conveyon a fan disposed beneath the conveyor'and sifting. screen,- ineans for severing grain pods from standing stalks andv delivering the same to the conveyor, said means-'including circularlymoving arms, radial prongs-car- Lriedby the outer faces of the arms, va tray over which `the arms pass in separating the grain lfronrthe pods and deliveringfseparated grain and pods :to the conveyor, and

rollers carried bythe free ends of the arms l and' the forward edge vof lthe tray.

4. A threshing machine of the type described comprising a body, an endless conveyor in the body, a sifting' screen positioned beneath the rear end of the conveyor, a fan disposed beneath the conveyor and sifting screen, means for severing` grain pods from standing' stalks and delivering the same to the conveyor, said means including circularly moving arms, radial prongs carried by the outer faces of the arms', a tray carried by the body over Which the arms pass, and a plurality of arched rods carried by the tray.

5. A threshing machine of the type described comprising a body, an endless conveyor in the body, a sifting screen positioned beneath the rear end of the conveyor, a ian disposed beneath the conveyor and sifting` screen,means for severing grain pods from standing stalks and delivering the same to the conveyor, said means including circularly moving arms, radial prongs carried by the outer faces of the arms, a tray carried by the body over which the arms pass, a plurality of arched rods carried by the tray, and means for varying, the relative positions of the arms and tray.

6. A threshing machine of the type described comprising a body, an endless conveyor in the body, a sifting screen positioned beneath the rear end of the conveyor.l a fan disposed beneath the conveyor and sifting screen, means for severing grain pods from standing stalks and delivering the same to the conveyor, said means including circularly moving arms, radial prongs carried by the outer faces of the arms, a tray carried by the body over Which the arms pass, a plurality of arched rods carried by the tray, means for varying the relative positions of the arms and tray, and means for controlling the circular movement of the arms.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

JAMES NOVAK. 

